The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

After Liu Chen returned to the small palace, the guards dispersed. He was reinstated as a member of the Imperial Guard, and his shifts resumed.

Liu Chen entered the palace, and a palace maid came forward to help him remove his cloak, carefully putting it away for safekeeping.

A palace maid brought in a basin of hot water, intending to wash Liu Chen's body and help him get rid of the dust of travel.

They speak softly and gently, are compliant in every way, and provide emotional support.

Liu Chen knelt down and allowed the palace maids to serve him. After the washing was finished, the palace maids bowed and withdrew.

Liu Chen looked up at the eunuch Qian Yun and said, "Starting next month, increase Huang Hao's gold allowance to thirty."

Those around him looked surprised. Thirty gold... Twenty gold a month was no small amount, and it had increased by half again.

"Yes." Qian Yun exhaled a breath of stale air and bowed.

Liu Chen was hungry, and by then the food box sent by the Imperial Household Department had gone cold. He sent someone to reheat it, and also had some wine heated up, before burying his head in his food and eating heartily.

............

Huang Hao's residence in the palace.

Before the bed, the charcoal fire burned brightly, dispelling the chill. Huang Hao sat on the bed, draped in a cloak, feeling both cold and hot.

He was a eunuch, someone without a penis. Of course, some eunuchs live long lives, but most die young and are in poor health.

He is sensitive to both cold and heat.

Although winters in Chengdu are not very cold.

He was warming himself by the fire, yet he still felt cold. But at the same time, he felt hot, as if a burning desire was raging within him, making him feel scalded.

Huang Hao barely managed to suppress his laughter.

He learned from the imperial physician that Chen Zhi might not survive the winter.

He knew, he knew everything.

Although he and Chen Zhi were essentially working together, he was a eunuch, while Chen Zhi was a court official.

He was not as important to Liu Shan as Chen Zhi.

When Chen Zhi was around, he was inferior; when Chen Zhi wasn't around, he was the best.

Liu Shan could not do without him from then on.

He was about to wield immense power. He thought of his predecessors: Zhao Gao in Qin and the Ten Attendants in Han.

He began to fantasize about becoming a Grand Attendant, ruling the inner court, remotely controlling the outer court, and even being granted a title.

"Being a eunuch may mean missing out on a lot of fun, but it also gives you many things that ordinary people can't have." Huang Hao couldn't help but laugh, but it was just a smile on his face and in his eyes; he didn't laugh out loud.

With a creak, the door opened. A gust of cold wind rushed in, and Huang Hao immediately shivered, raising an eyebrow in anger.

It was his godson Zhang Da who entered. Seeing his father was angry, Zhang Da trembled. Before his father could erupt in anger, he said succinctly, "Father, the Emperor is crying."

"Prepare the carriage." Huang Hao couldn't sit still any longer and got up to put on his shoes. The emperor was crying; how could he be left alone? Who else but me could be this person?

The eunuchs standing on either side immediately helped Huang Hao change his clothes.

"It's ready," Zhang Da said, bowing.

Huang Hao finished changing his clothes and immediately went out. A cold wind blew, making him shiver, but the fire in his heart burned even brighter.

Although the palace was small, the emperor's bedroom was quite large.

Outside the palace, imperial guards, clad in armor and wielding spears, stood watch every five steps and every ten steps, their menacing aura reaching the heavens.

Upon seeing Huang Hao's face, the imperial guards immediately allowed him to pass. Huang Hao's carriage arrived directly outside the palace.

Huang Hao got out of the car and hurriedly entered the palace.

Inside the spacious and magnificent palace, a charcoal fire burned brightly.

Eunuchs and palace maids were everywhere, but they were all terrified and anxious. As the emperor's servants, their task was to please and make the emperor comfortable.

But now the emperor is crying, crying like a child.

"Waaaaah!!!!" Liu Chanji sat in front of the desk, wiping away tears with his sleeve as he cried.

Liu Shan was over fifty years old and had been emperor for over thirty years. During his career, he killed only a handful of ministers.

Only Wei Yan was the one who had his entire family executed.

The internal strife and bloodshed within the Liu Han dynasty was the least among the Three Kingdoms.

His appearance, like his career, was round and chubby, with a kind face.

Although he was overweight, his facial features still hinted at his handsome appearance in his youth.

Liu Shan cried very sadly; in his life, he had only cried this sadly twice.

One time was when Liu Bei died, and the other time was when Zhuge Liang died.

Besides being heartbroken, he was also filled with fear. If Chen Zhi died, who could he rely on?

"Your Majesty." Huang Hao strode in, his eyes reddening, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Lord Chen is virtuous; Heaven will surely bless him and grant him a long life."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, and take care of your health."

Huang Hao walked to Liu Shan's side, took out a handkerchief, and carefully and gently wiped away Liu Shan's tears and snot.

"Hao. You've come." Liu Shan, like a drowning child, reached out and grabbed Huang Hao's hand as if grasping at a straw. If Chen Zhi died, he would be all that would be left.

No, Chen Zhi will not die.

His trusted advisors will not die.

Liu Shan took a deep breath, his face resolute, and looked up at Huang Hao, saying, "Hao, you are right. Minister Chen is virtuous, and Heaven will surely favor him. Immediately send people to offer sacrifices to the mountain and river gods and pray for Minister Chen's safety."

"I sent someone to the temple of Emperor Zhaolie to ask my ancestors to bless my pillar of support."

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Shan said to Huang Hao, "Go and invite a shaman to perform a ritual to drive away the disaster for Lord Chen."

The witchcraft and sorcery of the sorcerers seemed to be a curse upon the Liu family of the Han Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the witchcraft scandal led to the execution of Crown Prince Liu Ju, Wei Qing's son, princesses, and other powerful figures, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of others.

Logically, he shouldn't be close to wizards. But wizards are truly magical, especially as he gets older; some of his minor health problems are incurable by other doctors, but wizards have miraculous effects.

He dared not openly get close to the wizard, but in private they got along very well.

Now that Chen Zhi is dying, the imperial physicians are almost helpless.

He immediately thought of the wizard.

"Yes." Huang Hao secretly wished Chen Zhi would die immediately, but dared not show it. He pretended to be in a hurry, bowed and agreed, and hurried away.

After Huang Hao left, Liu Shan felt lonely, isolated, cold, pitiful, and helpless. He couldn't help but tear up, and tears fell like a string of pearls.

"How utterly alone I am!" Liu Shan cried, wiping his tears with his sleeve. His clothes, made of the finest Shu brocade, were now a mess, covered in grime.

Pray to the gods of mountains and rivers.

I pray for the blessings of our ancestors.

Please have a shaman perform a ritual.

The imperial physicians were instructed to do everything in their power to save Chen Zhi's life.

Liu Shan exhausted all his methods, but Chen Zhi was still on his last legs.

Chen Zhi's private residence.

in the bedroom.

The place was filled with the smell of medicine and the stench emanating from patients who had been bedridden for a long time; it was extremely disgusting and pungent.

Chen Zhi, who was full of vigor in the spring, now lies in bed like a skeleton.

Chen Zhi's sons knelt before his bed and wept bitterly before their father.

Chen Zhi, in a final burst of lucidity, forced himself to sit up and said to his eldest son, Chen Can, "Stop crying. There are two things."

"First, after I die, take out the red box from the cabinet; inside the box is my memorial."

"Secondly, after my death, the Liu Han dynasty will be thrown into chaos."

At this point, Chen Zhi lowered his voice and said, "You should act according to the circumstances, with the primary goal of preserving your lives."

After saying that, he breathed his last, exhaling more than he inhaled, and was on the verge of death.

His entire life flashed through his mind like a slideshow.

He is the grandson of Xu Jing's elder brother.

Liu Bei declared himself King of Hanzhong, and Xu Jing became his Grand Tutor.

When Liu Bei became emperor, Xu Jing was appointed Minister of Works.

Xu Jing was a renowned scholar who had connections with prominent families, officials, and scholars in the Central Plains.

Assisting Liu Bei in establishing a separatist regime in Yizhou was not Xu Jing's original intention; it was merely a matter of chance.

Influenced by Xu Jing, he was actually disloyal to Liu Han. However, he did not want Liu Han to perish while he was still alive.

Because only with Liu Han in power could he wield absolute authority over the court.

"After I die, Huang Hao will surely seize power. Liu Shan is weak and incompetent, and the fall of the Liu Han dynasty is not far off. But what does it matter to me? I wielded great power in life, and after my death, I only wish for the safety of my descendants. Let the Liu Han dynasty perish."

Chen Zhi slowly closed his eyes, and his breathing stopped.